Why LA Drive Like That?

If rules were meant to be followed, why do people want to break them so badly?

Okay. It’s the worst feature to judge a book by its cover and yet we have “international” drivers all over the road. Hear me out though. I never mentioned a socially constructed race and I would bet every dollar in my purse you compelled an “international” image to your mind. If I am correct, I don’t mean to label YOU, yet it only takes a moment for an individual to be branded the same way. Open your mind to someone you know not one thing about and explore the many different types of people, through their driving styles, and Southern California with me as I, too, am a tourist in my own home. (I literally call everywhere LA and give no second thought about the fact that I’m in Orange or Hollywood because there is more space I did not know about before).

Our “international” drivers are just that. People on the road driving around with no idea how to drive their vehicles because they might have just arrived in town, just obtained a license, or simply took their parents car out for a spin without permission. During a car ride this week my music wouldn’t connect to Bluetooth and I happened to catch a radio host expressing how they would let a car in or over on the street if they were having a good day. I felt what they said and I believe more than a few people feel the exact same way. It made me wonder, well how many people are NOT having good days and driving? How many of us are driving in awful weather, maybe the stereo needs to be fixed so it’s really you and yourself and you're having the worst day possible? I get frustrated and have feelings too. So I have no issue with meeting new people because every person I meet is “international” in a sense. But why does everyone drive as though they either just landed in America or just discovered what a car can do and decided to start driving 2020? Why do we treat the roads like racing lanes, racing every car we meet, when we don’t have the same destination? 

If you’re curious why all the shade for Southern Cali, let me explain how The Bay Area and surrounding areas inspired me as well. “Where you from,” Is a simple question from the naked eye point of view and I find it to be the most difficult to answer. I was transported to Stockton, CA where I experienced childhood because it is where my parents separately chose to reside and survive. From my eighth birthday up until my high school graduation, (Go Trojans!) I found joy in obtaining knowledge, so much so I remember more memories being at school in classrooms than I can recall memories with family throughout the entire year (I will say I remember quite a few holidays and special occasions of sorts. I can’t say what I was up to August 26th most years, but that‘s just one date anyways. Most definitely went to school though!). I believe I have been walking by faith, through the San Joaquin Valley to San Fernando Valley, my entire life and I laugh at myself. It just hit me there are little fires everywhere and it is quite terrifying and saddening to see people walking right by without a care in anyones’ world.

I have always felt like the slowest moving person in the room when actually it was the people around me not seeing the bigger picture of living our lives. Moving to the LA area has allowed me to notice what kind of person I am, based on my own driving behaviors, either directly behind the wheel or enjoying the passenger view and being curious of the mindless behavior in other vehicles. I never really know who is behind the wheel of cars that speed directly into traffic and swerve, but I almost always say something like “cool dude” because it seems like a “dude” type of thing to do. Okay, great for you for speeding up behind traffic and causing other vehicles to crash because you only used the eyes directly in front of your face. What happened to peripheral vision, man? Use the mirrors. Then again, don’t the “nicer” cars ever beep at you? Listen to the robots. I witnessed a Porsche driver the other day “cruise” through multiple lanes on I-5 heading South with car gaps of space in between himself and surrounding cars, like myself. I was honestly surprised there wasn’t more swerving with the smoothness. Pretty cool though dude. I would give a high-five but you know COVID-19 and all. It intrigues my mind to notice how the rules of the road are followed and ignored altogether somehow. Even so, I feel like the only person bothered and I could care less about systemic rules. Funnily enough, I rather enjoy minding my own business and yet somehow this feels like an “everyones’ business” kind of business. Do continue reading. I promise you will have a part in this too.

You have your “Hot and don’t bother” drivers that really should not be driving, honestly. I get it though, you have your fancy new Tesla and I mean what else is there to do this COVID-19, 2020? I understand you, but could you do it in the slow lane so the people actually speeding down the highway can continue on their merry way as well. That’s All. Pretty and simple just the way you like it.

Which leads me perfectly to the discussion of the “It’s my party and I’ll crash if I want to” driving crew. Y’all are something else I can tell. Like did you just play Mario Kart before leaving the house or? Your partner is having a baby and you JUST lost your vision too so cars are just in your way. Am I right? I mean I get the road limits but what rule did I miss? I could have sworn “go with the flow of traffic” was mentioned. Does that mean drive at your own pace or try to run people off the road? Because I’ve personally noticed speeding up to be in front of a car on the highway makes more sense than kindly letting a car on the road, a person in the car on the road, join the lane. I just figured SO-Cal was more mindful and I guess “woke” than the rest of the world based on a social media story. My brain can’t comprehend the many amounts of sleeping drivers cruising around. And please don’t get me stirred up over 12(The Police) yet. Just hold on a couple minutes more. I got you.

Let me insight your mind with “The limit does not exist” drivers, those young having a good old time drivers I like to call them. I obviously understand that there is no age for someone to “finish” driving, age-wise, other than there being vision impairments; which have nothing to do with an individual's age. So why do people drive slower in the fast lane? And at the same time speed off the exit like there isn’t a red light coming up? It genuinely boggles my mind that I cared enough to physically write about it. So bothersome it is I don’t even have time for the “Fuck 12” drivers. The systematically oppressed generation breaking the system, and radicalizing new stories to share about minority majorities like myself, feels me.

It is my civil duty to leave you with a final thought. As it just occurred to me I never mentioned the honorary “Last minute merging” drivers, I believe you know of them. Those using no signal indications, clear views of cellular usage while driving, eating some popcorn, or you know just give no thought for the person BTS of their own or others’ vehicles. They must have known what exit they needed to take. No? Oh, my mistake. My phone map thing I use for directions continuously updates me with every mile until I change directions to move forward with my day. 

So why care about how you drive? What makes someone a good vs a bad driver? Is the driver then also considered a good or bad person depending on how they drive? Let’s break it down together. Being “international” can mean you come from a place that is foreign to the majority in the specific area and you then are a foreigner or “international.” Americans love international items, right? But I've also heard comments about peoples’ driving and “they must not be from here” uttered quite often. Is this fair? What about the “Hot and Don’t Bother” people and “It’s My Party and I’ll Crash if I Want To” people only worried about what they have to do? Do these drivers behave in person the same way they drive on the road? How come we all are driving on the same roads, reading the same signs, and still have “The Limit Does Not Exist” and “Fuck 12” individuals daydreaming and threatening the roads? Believe it or not, there are terrible drivers and not so great individuals moving around this earth. I will say there are some rare gem drivers out there that just might be those “Last Minute Mergers” that genuinely did not have enough time to merge because the freeway design did not allow for more than 2 lane merging. I can’t fault a driver using Apple Maps, listening to music, and signaling to merge 3-4 lanes because there really isn’t much to do when other people don’t care to see you signal and drive like they are the only person with a license. 

I think we could all do a better job to care about people on the road and drive safe. It should not matter if you’ve known them a minute in your life or not. You’re technically not supposed to be outside during 2020 so I honestly highly recommend fighting for your health, safety and sanity with your “essential jobs” and stay home. Of course, not everyone has that privilege because they are so essential and must work at all times for another individual. I truly would love there to be something more important than that paycheck at the end of your days. If you can be a superb driver and show the freeway of people how you move then it should be a piece of velvet cake to be a superb person. I personally walk, rollerblade, dance, or drive around in my own fantastic car blasting music the loudest my ears can go and enjoy my drive towards my destination. All at the same time reminding myself I am not the only one on the road, there are people in my personal car, there are women and children in many other cars, and there are cool dudes on the road showboating around so I should drive like I at least care about my own life, right? Stay blessed and boldness will arise. It’s never too late to glow up.

Tyicia, (AKA Ty), entertainer, counselor, writer/ publisher and life enthusiast has her own  remarkable way of connecting to different audiences thoughts, moods and inner desires in  search of truth and understanding. From her joy in teaching and being a life coach to bringing intellectual reasoning and concept to things that matter most within todays society, theres no wonder why writing and blogging became second nature. Starting in her 20’s, Ty became more in tune with writing blogs the more she discovered her voice and pen is impactful and has a  significant place in todays society. She is bold, confident and not afraid to shed light on even the  most sensitive topics. Tyicia speaks from experience and learned observation within her life,  relationships, and living in todays society. Writing is a way for her to shed light, awareness, and  offer solution on all topics that impact life as we know it. If you are confident, seek  understanding, and have no boundaries, Ty’s writing is just right for you.